Travis DA launches investigation into state cancer agency

The Texas office that investigates public corruption and criminal activity has opened an inquiry into the state's embattled cancer agency.

Gregg Cox, director of the Travis County District Attorney's special prosecution division, said the office's public integrity unit decided last week to investigate the problems at the taxpayer-funded agency, which include the awarding of two questionable multi-million dollar grants.

"Please be advised that the alteration, concealment or destruction of any record, document, or thing in the possession of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, or its agents or employees, with the intent to impair its availability as evidence in our investigation would constitute tampering with physical evidence," assistant District Attorney Rob Drummond wrote in a Dec. 7 letter.

The letter, made available by Cox Tuesday, was sent to CPRIT executive director Bill Gimson and legal counsel Kristen Doyle. Gimson announced earlier in the day he is resigning, effective January, saying "I have been placed in a situation where I feel I can no longer be effective"

The Travis County District Attorney investigation was prompted by a letter of complaint by Progress Texas, a left-leaning nonprofit.

Glenn Smith, the director of the group's political action committee, said the group is pleased prosecutors moved quickly on the matter. He said the complaint was filed Nov. 29.

"It's essential that any destruction of evidence and other obstructions to the investigation be halted," said Smith. "An immediate, independent investigation is absolutely necessary."

The new investigation comes two week ago after CPRIT acknowledged that an $11 million commercialization grant awarded to a start-up biotech company in Dallas, Peloton Therapeutics, was never scrutinized by peer review committees set up to evaluate applications.

At a CPRIT board meeting last Wednesday, an agency compliance officer said no e-mails about the process could be located.

The disclosure came after a tumultuous summer for the cancer initiative. The agency rescinded a $20 million grant to a team led by the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center because of questions about the integrity of its review process. Agency officials subsequently portrayed the incident as the only time it hadn't followed its procedures.